Update: The Deportation of Ray Jesus
A few months ago, Kacie Jesus told us about the deportation of her husband Ray and its impact on her family. If you’d like to help the Jesus family out with the roughly $5000 it will cost them to pay off their legal expenses, get passports, and fly to Guatemala, email Kacie at kaciejesus@hotmail.com. Below is an update from Kacie. -RG
Nearly one year ago, I lost my husband of ten years to deportation. I was left alone to care for our five children, one of whom is autistic. Through the ordeal, we lost Ray’s business, our only source of income. We’ve been hit with thousands of dollars in legal fees in our efforts to get Ray back. We moved to a smaller home and sold many of our possessions just to get by. I have reluctantly resorted to taking government assistance to keep food on the table.
Since Ray’s deportation on August 11, 2011, I have been doing it all alone. Caring for five children without help or enough money—as well as fighting for Ray’s return—has just become too exhausting. We have tried to wait it out, praying that a miracle will bring him home soon. But as we come up on the one-year anniversary of his deportation, the realistic part of me understands that it could be many more months (or years) before he’s able to return—if he’s ever able to return.
I’m very thankful for everything we still have, and I try to stay strong. But with each day, I become more and more depressed. My family is divided. My protector, provider and best friend is no longer by my side. My children struggle without their daddy. Each of their personalities has changed as they manage their grief. Aaden, my four-year-old son, asked me a few months ago, “Is our daddy dead?” He no longer believes me when I tell him daddy will come home some day. Ray has also become extremely depressed and doesn’t know how to continue on without his “babies.”
He is desperate. We are desperate. So I’ve decided to pack up the kids and move to Guatemala.
As I held Aaden on my lap yesterday and told him we are moving to Guatemala so that we can live with his daddy again, he excitedly said, “Lets go now!” When I told him we had to first pack and move our stuff, he jumped down and began throwing his toys into a box. I can’t wait to see the look on my kids’ faces when they can finally hug and kiss their daddy again. Even though we will sacrifice a lot living in Guatemala without toilets, disposable diapers, a washing machine, or refrigerators, it will all be worth it if we can be a complete, and happy family again.
